electric vehicle

electric vehicle

[i¦lek·trik ′vē·ə·kəl]

(mechanical engineering)

A ground vehicle propelled by a motor powered by electrical energy from rechargeable batteries or other source onboard the vehicle, or from an external source in, on, or above the roadway; examples include the electrically powered golf cart, automobile, and trolley bus.

Electric vehicle

A ground vehicle propelled by a motor that is powered by electrical energy from rechargeable batteries or other source onboard the vehicle, or from an external source in, on, or above the roadway. Examples are the golf cart, industrial truck and tractor, automobile, delivery van and other on-highway truck, and trolley bus. In common usage, electric vehicle refers to an automotive vehicle in which the propulsion system converts electrical energy stored chemically in a battery into mechanical energy to move the vehicle. This is classed as a battery-only-powered electric vehicle. The batteries provide the power to propel the vehicle, and to power the lights and all accessories such as air conditioning and radio. The other major class is the hybrid-electric vehicle, which has more than one power source such as battery power with a small internal combustion engine or a fuel cell. SeeAutomobile

electric vehicle

(Electric Vehicle) An automobile that is powered entirely or partially by electricity. Although prototype electric vehicles (EVs) were invented in the 1800s and various models were built in the 1900s, the EV industry only began in earnest after the turn of the century.

The advantage of an EV is fuel economy. All-electric models can reach the equivalent of around 100 MPG. However, they have a distance limit, typically from 40 to 80 miles. When the battery runs out, they have to be charged, which is a problem away from home. There are electric charging stations, but often few and far between.

Hybrids Hybrid vehicles have no distance limit but are less economical with fuel; generally no more than 50 MPG. In 2010, GM introduced the plug-in, hybrid-electric Chevrolet Volt. The Volt is a gas-powered car that runs on battery for short distances, allowing those commuters to enjoy great economy when plugged into their home's electrical panel overnight. The Volt can last up to 50 miles on its electric charge, at which time the internal combustion engine takes over.

A regular hybrid-electric vehicle such as the Toyota Prius is refilled only with gas, and the vehicle charges the battery. Introduced in 1997, the Prius technology switches automatically between the electric motors and gas engine. Toyota came out with a plug-in hybrid in 2012.

All-Electrics In 2009, the Tesla Roadster was the first all-electric with a respectable 200 mile range. Rather than retrofitting an electric drive train into an existing chassis, the Tesla was engineered from the ground up as an EV. In 2014, Tesla had sufficient charging stations in the U.S. to enable owners to drive from Los Angeles to New York entirely free, because Tesla has thus far not collected a fee for the service.

First EV Car for the Masses

General Motors built and leased more than a thousand EV1 electric cars from 1996 to 1999 to meet California's environmental deadline. However, the EV program gave way to low-emission gas and hybrid gas-electric cars. This car is in the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.

The Tesla Roadster

Featuring zero emissions and great handling, the Tesla can go more than 200 miles on a single charge. With a top speed of 125 MPH, it can reach 60 in less than four seconds. (Image courtesy of Tesla Motors, www.teslamotors.com)

Hybrid Diesel Electric

Hybrid electric buses have been operating in New York since 1998. Using low-sulfur diesel fuel and smaller diesel engines, these vehicles produce a fraction of the emissions of a standard diesel bus.

According to Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai already has around 200 electric vehicles registered, including around 50 light passenger vehicles, apart from electric-powered construction and commercial vehicles as well as buses.

The legislation stipulates that, starting next year, plug-in electric vehicle owners will pay a $20 annual fee to fund the installation of public charging stations, funds that will be distributed to local governments through grants.

The electric vehicle industry employs a variety of workers, from the scientists and engineers who research and develop ideas to the sales workers who explain the advantages of electric cars and trucks to potential consumers.

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